THE OESTER BERG. 309 



is preserved for the King there must be plenty of game 

 there." 



" Forty chamois have been shot ; but as to the stags 

 it is quite a riddle where all the good ones have gone. 

 Hardly a single good hart has been seen this year." 



As we talked, one or the other of us mentioned 

 the Zug Spitz, and this reminded me I had long 

 wanted to get some information about the ascent, 

 which was difficult, and had been accomplished for 

 the first time only a few years before*. 



" It is about five hours' walk from Partenkirchen to 

 the place where you commence the ascent," Neuner 

 told me, in answer to my questions ; " but it is too 

 late in the year to attempt it now. A cow-herd there, 

 who is a sort of guide, has been up twice. 'Tis a 

 wild place at the top ! " 



" What, have you been there?" I asked. 



" Yes, I went up with the head forester and several 

 others. There are only two places which are ugly and 

 difficult ; one is a narrow ridge, a sort of bridge, which 

 you have to cross, with a precipice straight down on 

 both sides of you three-quarters of an hour deepf. 

 It is very horrible, there J s no denying that ; all looks 

 so wild, and rent, and torn. If you like you may ride 

 across astride." 



"Did you do so?" 



* It is very little less than 11,000 feet high. 



t In Germany it is usual to compute thus by time, meaning in 

 this instance it would take three-quarters of an hour to arrive at 

 the bottom. 



